There are a lot of rules and regulations that employers must abide by when it comes to preventing accidents at work. It can depend on the type of industry of course – you’d expect less accidents in an office than on a construction site – but all employers are equally responsible for complying with the law.
To comply with the law, one of the most important tools of course is training. It is your employers direct responsibility to make sure that you receive proper and adequate training when it comes to anything health and safety related. If there is something in the workplace that could cause you harm, you need training to make sure you don’t end up injured.
If you feel you have not been trained properly and this has caused you an injury, you may have a claim for compensation. Here are a few examples of the sorts of training you should expect:
Manual Handling Training
If you need to do any lifting in the workplace, your employer must properly train you how to lift safely. This is a form of training that should be refreshed on a regular basis as well; perhaps annually. Any manual handling activity at work should be risk assessed, so training needs should be identified by your employer. If you have been injured due to a lack of, or inadequate, manual handling training, you may have a work injury compensation claim.
Work Equipment
Work equipment can, of course, be dangerous. You can get your limbs trapped in conveyor belts, or your fingers caught underneath a pressing machine, and all sorts. As such, work equipment must be adapted to make it safe to use. However, it’s not always possible to prevent you from being exposed to some form of risk. As such, you should be fully trained in how to use the work equipment safely, and fully advised as to the sorts of injuries you could sustain, and how to avoid them. Any new equipment brought in, or any you are not familiar with, your employer is responsible for the training.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
When it comes to certain hazards at work, there are some things that can’t be prevented. To stop you from coming to harm, PPE can be used. For example, if you work with heated metal or dangerous chemicals, you will probably be provided with protective gloves. If you work on a construction site, you will probably need a hard hat. But with some equipment, you may need some training. Employees must be informed of the risks that the PPE prevents, how to use the PPE to make sure it has maximum affect, its limitations, care, and any other important information you need to know about. Simple example – you are provided with two pairs of gloves, one for protection against chemicals, and one against extreme heat. You need to know which pair is for which, or you may end up burnt!
Proper training should be provided, and refresher training should be provided on an adequate basis. If you feel you have not been trained properly and have suffered as a result, give us a call as we may be able to help you out with a claim for compensation. Your employer has a legal duty to have insurance to claim from; it’s there to use, so use it!
